Thursday, 7 June 2018 - At 181 kilometres, the 4th stage in the Critérium du Dauphiné travels from Chazey-sur-Ain to Lans-en-Vercors. With 37.5 kilometres remaining the huge Col du Mont Noir is crested, while the race finishes at the the end of a 4.8 kilometres climb at 7.5%.

The first 50 kilometres are flat as a pancake, but in Aoste, where during the last edition the stage to Alpe d’Huez started, the route is going to change. On slightly hilly terrain the Dauphiné continues to Paladru, and on it goes to Saint-Étienne-de-Saint-Geoirs. Here the first KOM climb commences, Col de Toutes Aures. Not very difficult – it’s a good one to stretch the legs: 2.5 kilometres at 5.1%.

A long descent leads to the real deal. The Col du Mont Noir is a 17.5 kilometres ascent at 6.9% with the toughest section from kilometre 4 until kilometre 9. This part of the climb is averaging 8.9%, while there are 37.5 kilometres left to race when the riders reach the crest.

A 10 kilometres downhill runs to the first uphill stretches that ultimately go to the line. Yet, not all of it goes up, basically the course is rolling gradually upward to the base of the last climb. The finish is in Lans-en-Vercors, a place at an altitude of 1,409 metres. The final haul up is 4.8 kilometres long and averaging 7.5% with double digit ramps early on and halfway up the climb.

The first three riders on the line win time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds. The race does not include intermediate sprints.